Braced frame bulkhead



Dec. 22, 1970 R. J. sPlNNA ETAI- 3,49%@

BRACED FRAME BULKHEAD Filed July 18,- 1968 2 sheetssheet 1 /7 ZZ o l NV [SN'] ORS @BER T J. SPM/NA JAMES D BRIE/QL E Y Dec; 22.1970 ,SPINNA am l 3,548,603

I BRACED FRAME BULKHED Filed Jul'y la, 196e.`

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I *M [lli y" INV/iN'loRs ROBERT d. sP/A/A/A .JAMES D. BR/ERLEY United States Patent O 3,548,603 BRACED FRAME BULKHEAD Robert J. Spinna, Crestwood, and `lamesy D. Brierley, Seaford, N .Y., assignors of one-third to Manhattan College,

Bronx, N.Y., an educational institution Filed July 18, 1968, Ser. No. 745,807 Int. Cl. E02b 3/ 06 U.S. Cl. 61-49 6 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A bulkhead is here taught which has a plurality of piles arranged in seaward and landward rows. Paired seaward and landward piles are connected to form frames. This design is adaptable to many construction materials and it is particularly well suited to welding or reinforced concrete because moment resistance can be developed conveniently at upper ends of the piles.

BACKGROUND Bulkheads for shore protection are usually supported from a single row of piles. The piles are held laterally in place by an anchorage system which includes cables connecting the row of piles to anchor piles positioned on the landward side of the bulkhead. This conventional arrangement is relatively expensive and the anchorage system becomes an obstruction under the property being protected thereby detracting from its value.

SUMMARY The crux of the present invention is to provide a bulkhead with seaward and landward rows of piles as well as to connect upper ends of paired seaward and landward piles to form frames.

One advantage of this invention is t0 eliminate conventional anchorage systems thereby avoiding obstructions under the property to be protected and consequently enhancing the value of that property.

Another advantage is low capital cost of this bulkhead.

Another advantage is to provide a bulkhead which is simple and easy to install with ordinary materials and construction tools.

Another advantage is the ability to facilitate maintenance of this bulkhead even in a corrosive environment and in the presence of marine organisms.

Another advantage is to offer a bulkhead which is capable of absorbing severe impact loads and which is otherwise well suited to its intended maritime functions.

DRAWINGS The foregoing and other advantages will appear more fully from the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. l is a sectional elevation view of a bulkhead according to a preferred steel embodiment of the invention with precast and prestressed concrete planks serving as sheeting.

FIG. Il is a fragmented plan -view showing a typical bay of the steel embodiment.

FIG. III is an enlarged detail View of the upper angle and tie-rod arrangement of FIG. l.

FIG. IV is a sectional elevation View of a bulkhead according to a timber embodiment.

FIG. V is a fragmented plan View showing a typical bay of the timber embodiment.

FIG. VI is an enlarged detail view of a framing clip used in the timber embodiment.

FIG. VIl is an enlarged typical detail of the tie-rod connection used in FIG. V.

ICC

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As best seen from FIGS. I and IV, bulkhead 1 protects land 2 from a, body of water 3. According to this invention, piles are arranged in seaward 4 and landward 6 rows. The piles may be of steel (or some other suitable metal) reinforced concrete or timber. Structural steel is very suitable for this application because it can be welded to provide moment resisting joints at upper ends 7; however, it should be understood that upper ends 7 can be joined by riveted or bolted connections. The piles penetrate mud 8 and are xedly embedded into firm soil 9. In the case of timber construction (see FIG. IV) the piles are first jetted into firm soil 9 to a depth not less than two feet from their penetration depth 11 and are then driven to penetration depth 11 so that they develop Xed-end connections and lateral passive resistance.

A wall of sheeting 12 is connected to seaward piles 4 and may be made of wood 13 (as shown in FIG. IV), precast and prestressed concrete planks 14 (as shown in FIG. I) or some other suitable material. The sheeting is connected to seaward piles 4 by means of well-known construction details. In FIG. IV it should be noted that the timber embodiment has wales 16 which are protected by channel members 17.

The steel embodiment of FIGS. I through III are framed with upper members 18 and lower members 19 all Welded to both seaward 4 and landward 6 piles to form a frame which transmits moments between the seaward and landward piles. Tie rods 21 with turnbuckles 22 are also provided. Horizontal lacing 23 (as best seen in FIG. II) are likewise welded to alternate seaward 4 and landward 6 piles across alternate bays. Tie rods are connected (as shown in FIG. III) on bolts 24 between paired lower 19 (or upper 18) members by means of bolt heads 26 and nuts 27 screwably engaging bolt 24.

In the timber embodiment of FIGS. lV through VII inclusive, upper 18 and lower 19 framing members are connected to seaward `4 and landward 6 piles by means of stay bolts 28, clips 29 and lag screws 31. As best seen in FIG. VII, tie rods 21 are connected about bolt 24 with bolt head 26 and nut 27 holding it thereon. Washers are also provided.

In backlling against sheeting 12, it has been found that filling gradually from the sheeting landward minimizes crowding of the sheeting.

It will be apparent to those skilled in soil mechanics, foundations and/ or structural design that wide deviations may be made from the shown embodiments without departing from the main theme of invention set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bulkhead for retaining ground adjacent a body of water and comprising:

a plurality of piles arranged in seaward and landward rows spaced from each other;

each of the piles having its lower end embedded in the ground sufiiciently to give a fixed-end moment and lateral passive resistance thereto;

framing means connecting upper ends of at least one pile pair, which includes a seaward and a landward pile, to give a Xed-end moment to each of said upper ends whereby both piles of said pair are subjected to a reverse curvature to improve the lateral load-bearing capacity of the bulkhead;

sheeting depending from the seaward row of piles.

2. The bulkhead of claim 1 with the framing means connected rigidly to both the piles of the pair.

3. The bulkhead of claim 2 with the rows of piles arranged along a shoreline,

the framing means oriented substantially normal to the shoreline.

4. A method for building a bulkhead at a shoreline on a relatively firm soil overlain with an unreliable soil and comprising the steps of providing a plurality of piles arranged in seaward and landward rows spaced from each other; jetting the piles into the firm soil to a depth not less than two feet from a predetermined penetration depth; driving the piles to the penetration depth to assure giving fixed-end moments and lateral passive resistances thereto; connecting framing means to upper ends of at least one pile pair, which includes a seaward and a land- Ward pile, to give a fixed-end moment to each of said upper ends whereby both piles of said pair are subjected to a reverse curvature to improve the lateral load-bearing capacity of the bulkhead; mounting sheeting from the seaward row of piles.

5. The method of claim 4 and connecting said framing means rigidly to both the piles of the pair.

6. The method 0f claim S with the piles and sheeting extending above the unreliable material, backlling gradually from the sheeting.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 757,368 4/1904 Truax 6 l-53.74 982,697 1/1911 Upson 61-49 1,633,131 6/1927 Schoen 6l-49X 1,693,311 11/1928 Miller et al. 61-49 1,947,151 2/1934 Caples 6l-49X 5 JACOB SHAPIRO, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 61--3 

